The Real Problem with Sugar

November 2, 2015

Almost every cell in the body can break down sugar to generate necessary energy when the sugar is delivered in the form of glucose. However, we now understand that only liver cells break down sugar when it arrives in the form of fructose.

When fructose is processed by the liver the end products include triglycerides (fats), free radicals (reactive oxygen species) and uric acid.

Triglycerides can build up in liver cells and damage liver function, contributing to the increasingly common condition of ‘nonalcoholic fatty liver disease’ (alcohol, of course, is also a very sugary drink). Even if triglycerides are processed and released into the bloodstream they can then contribute to the growth of plaque inside artery walls.

In addition, free radicals can damage many structures including genes, while uric acid can also contribute to damage within artery walls.

Another increasing concern is that high fructose intake may lead to insulin resistance, a precursor to diabetes, as well as mental health issues such as ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder).

We are now starting to understand the real problems created by excess sugar intake and many specialists such as Dr. Robert H. Lustig, professor of pediatrics at the University of California, San Francisco, are warning of the toxic impact of excess sugar on the mind and body.

Humans have always consumed different forms of sugar through fruit, vegetables and other sources, but fructose in particular has now become a highly problematic, often concealed constituent of our daily diet.